I was not expecting a ban at all – says Joe Jogia as he lashes about WPBSA – Snooker News
World Number 47, England’s Joe Jogia did not know that his pulling out of the 2012 Snooker Shootout game against Matthew Selt will cost him his career. He was injured during practice so he decided not to take part in the tournament. Unfortunate for him,
a large number of bets were stacked on his defeat at the hands of Selt.
The snooker governing body, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) received reports about suspicious betting so they decided to launch an investigation on the matter. Jogia was suspended from taking part in any snooker event of
the new season which offended him at that time and he believed that World Snooker was being racist as he felt that he was being made a scapegoat to save major names of the game.
However, the WPBSA disciplinary committee launched their investigation and came to know that two of the bettors who placed the bets on Jogia’s defeat were in contact with him and had conversation on the phone. Besides, the committee also mentioned that it
is still not clear whether Jogia got any financial benefits from the money.
Jogia was quite disheartened and furious about the decision and claimed that the decision was solely made on biasness. He was not expecting that the WPBSA would ban him for almost two years.
While speaking to the local media, Jogia said, “They said mine wasn't a serious case which is why the police were not involved but I get the biggest punishment, why's that? I wasn't expecting a ban at all - the match never happened. [At the hearing] they
mentioned me in the same league as the Pakistani cricket player Salman Butt, and Quinten Hann. It's a liberty, an absolute liberty what they've done.”
The English potter added, “I've done nothing wrong, I didn't even play the match, it's shocking. I'm done, I'm finished with snooker. They've ruined me.”
Despite his ban, Jogia could file an appeal against the decision but he has stated that he will not go for an appeal because he cannot afford it.
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